Education issues need help from businesses

DURING a meeting with the business community at Swakopmund on Thursday, Education Minister Abraham Iyambo said there were ‘real urgent [education] issues’ that needed the private sector to help solve.

One was that many Namibian pupils leave for foreign countries to pursue tertiary education, but the problem was they do not local internships.’We need local companies to be willing to give these learners the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, locally,’ he said.According to him, it may be understandable at times why students study for a profession outside of Namibia, but emphasised that they were still Namibian hoping to come back and find decent jobs.It’s one thing to study outside Namibia for a profession, and another putting that profession in practice on local soil where it is much needed, according to Iyambo.The other ‘urgent issue’ was that there was a lack a management skills among teachers.’Most of the teachers are not trained in management, but sooner or later they may be promoted to principals, which requires management skills,’ he said. ‘Businesses can help teach them in these necessary skills to get the job done properly.’He said an initiative was launched in which teachers, principals and other education staff would be rewarded for their work.’Morale is important to encourage them to excel, and that is why we are planning to introduce an annual award event in which those who perform will receive their due acknowledgement,’ said the Minister.Lastly, there was the issue of housing for teachers, especially in the rural areas.Iyambo said his ministry was assisting where it could in helping teachers finance or find accommodation, but that this was mainly focused in the rural areas.He said teachers in towns also had problems with accommodation, and here too he called on the private sector to assist.